effects of organic farming and production on the environment? Soil? Water? Fuel? health benefits or organic - are the benefits real? how can a farm become certified organic? how can a home gardener work organically?
Organic Label- Guarantees that no genetically modified organisms (gmo) have been used intentionally to produce a particular food. 37,000,000 hectares (0.9% of farm land) = organic farmland Some Key Methods of Organic Farming · Crop rotation- growing series of different plants in the same area. o Helps replenish nitrogen o Keeps away pests o Keeps soil structure and fertility by switching deep and shallow rooted plants · Green manure- a cover crop. Is usually grown for a period of time and then plowed into soil o Adds nutrients and organic material to soil · Compost- plant matter that has been decomposed and recycled (old piled up waste) o Natural pesticide o Adds humus (or humic acid) · Biological pest control- limiting pests by incorporating natural enemies o Conservation, classical biological control, and augmentation On a large scale, it helps ecosystems with… o erosion control o Land/stream reclamation o Wetland construction o Landfill cover NO · Fertilizers · Pesticides · Plant growth regulators · Antibiotics · Food additives · Genetically modified organisms Environmental Benefits · Soil o erosion is decreased o biodiversity is increased o less nutrient losses o helps maintain and enhance soil productivity o Methods return more carbon to the soil Usually renewable resources will provide the soil with nutrients, but sometimes farmers may need to add potassium, phosphate, calcium, magnesium and trace elements from external sources. · Water o Reduces the risk of groundwater pollution o Enhances water infiltration Since fertilizers and pesticides are not used, the soil structure and water infiltration is enhanced. · Biodiversity o “species level”- the different plants increase nutrient and energy cycle o “ecosystem level”- the lack of chemicals used provides a better habitat for plants and animals The diversity re-colonizes organisms to the land such as pest predators, pollinators, flora and fauna · Overall Ecological o soil forming and conditioning o soil stabilization o waste recycling o increased carbon o nutrients cycling o predation o pollination o habitats Health Benefits · food has a higher nutrient content · no hormones are used on animals, so youth doesn’t hit early puberty · smaller risk of pesticide danger · no antibiotics or gmo used How a Farm becomes certified 1. Identify a suitable certifier- must be accredited by the National Organic Program 2. Submit an application- includes a fee and questionnaire of the detailed farming plan 3. Completeness review- certifier checks the questionnaire 4. On-farm inspection- Certifier hires and inspector to do a live judgment of farmland 5. Final review- certification committee reviews all the information and either passes, denies, or requests more information A more detailed version: http://www.attra.org/attra-pub/organcert.html Home Gardens To have a true home garden you must not use any of the methods listed under the “No” section. Most home gardeners make their own home fertilizers through manure and other techniques (as shown in the video below). Many nurseries carry plants that are already have traces of chemicals; therefore, the plants may take time to adjust to the lack of chemicals when moved to an organic garden. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7p9ckLg1-W0&feature=related http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J5t5C90s5WY&feature=youtube_gdata Bibliography "Biological Pest Control." Wikipedia, the Free Encyclopedia. Web. 23 Mar. 2011. <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Biological_pest_control>. "Compost." Wikipedia, the Free Encyclopedia. Web. 23 Mar. 2011. <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Compost>. "Crop Rotation." Wikipedia, the Free Encyclopedia. Web. 23 Mar. 2011. <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Crop_rotation>. "Green Manure." Wikipedia, the Free Encyclopedia. Web. 23 Mar. 2011. <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Green_manure>. "Health Benefits Of Eating Organic." Organic Foods , A Sensible Approach - Supercharge Healthy Eating. Web. 31 Mar. 2011. <http://www.mom-going-organic-sensibly.com/health-benefits-of-eating-organic.html>. "Organic Farm Certification & the National Organic Program." ATTRA - National Sustainable Agriculture Information Service. Web. 31 Mar. 2011. <http://www.attra.org/attra-pub/organcert.html>. "Organic Agriculture: What Are the Environmental Benefits of Organic Agriculture?" FAO: FAO Home. Web. 31 Mar. 2011. http://www.fao.org/organicag/oa-faq/oa-faq6/en/.
Sarah F's Page- Organic Food
effects of organic farming and production on the environment? Soil? Water? Fuel?
health benefits or organic - are the benefits real?
how can a farm become certified organic?
how can a home gardener work organically?
Organic Label- Guarantees that no genetically modified organisms (gmo) have been used intentionally to produce a particular food.
37,000,000 hectares (0.9% of farm land) = organic farmland
Some Key Methods of Organic Farming
· Crop rotation- growing series of different plants in the same area.
o Helps replenish nitrogen
o Keeps away pests
o Keeps soil structure and fertility by switching deep and shallow rooted plants
· Green manure- a cover crop. Is usually grown for a period of time and then plowed into soil
o Adds nutrients and organic material to soil
· Compost- plant matter that has been decomposed and recycled (old piled up waste)
o Natural pesticide
o Adds humus (or humic acid)
· Biological pest control- limiting pests by incorporating natural enemies
o Conservation, classical biological control, and augmentation
On a large scale, it helps ecosystems with…
o erosion control
o Land/stream reclamation
o Wetland construction
o Landfill cover
NO
· Fertilizers
· Pesticides
· Plant growth regulators
· Antibiotics
· Food additives
· Genetically modified organisms
Environmental Benefits
· Soil
o erosion is decreased
o biodiversity is increased
o less nutrient losses
o helps maintain and enhance soil productivity
o Methods return more carbon to the soil
Usually renewable resources will provide the soil with nutrients, but sometimes farmers may need to add potassium, phosphate, calcium, magnesium and trace elements from external sources.
· Water
o Reduces the risk of groundwater pollution
o Enhances water infiltration
Since fertilizers and pesticides are not used, the soil structure and water infiltration is enhanced.
· Biodiversity
o “species level”- the different plants increase nutrient and energy cycle
o “ecosystem level”- the lack of chemicals used provides a better habitat for plants and animals
The diversity re-colonizes organisms to the land such as pest predators, pollinators, flora and fauna
· Overall Ecological
o soil forming and conditioning
o soil stabilization
o waste recycling
o increased carbon
o nutrients cycling
o predation
o pollination
o habitats
Health Benefits
· food has a higher nutrient content
· no hormones are used on animals, so youth doesn’t hit early puberty
· smaller risk of pesticide danger
· no antibiotics or gmo used
How a Farm becomes certified
1. Identify a suitable certifier- must be accredited by the National Organic Program
2. Submit an application- includes a fee and questionnaire of the detailed farming plan
3. Completeness review- certifier checks the questionnaire
4. On-farm inspection- Certifier hires and inspector to do a live judgment of farmland
5. Final review- certification committee reviews all the information and either passes, denies, or requests more information
A more detailed version: http://www.attra.org/attra-pub/organcert.html
Home Gardens
To have a true home garden you must not use any of the methods listed under the “No” section. Most home gardeners make their own home fertilizers through manure and other techniques (as shown in the video below). Many nurseries carry plants that are already have traces of chemicals; therefore, the plants may take time to adjust to the lack of chemicals when moved to an organic garden.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7p9ckLg1-W0&feature=related
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J5t5C90s5WY&feature=youtube_gdata
Bibliography
"Biological Pest Control." Wikipedia, the Free Encyclopedia. Web. 23 Mar. 2011. <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Biological_pest_control>.
"Compost." Wikipedia, the Free Encyclopedia. Web. 23 Mar. 2011. <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Compost>.
"Crop Rotation." Wikipedia, the Free Encyclopedia. Web. 23 Mar. 2011. <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Crop_rotation>.
"Green Manure." Wikipedia, the Free Encyclopedia. Web. 23 Mar. 2011. <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Green_manure>.
"Health Benefits Of Eating Organic." Organic Foods , A Sensible Approach - Supercharge Healthy Eating. Web. 31 Mar. 2011. <http://www.mom-going-organic-sensibly.com/health-benefits-of-eating-organic.html>.
"Organic Farm Certification & the National Organic Program." ATTRA - National Sustainable Agriculture Information Service. Web. 31 Mar. 2011. <http://www.attra.org/attra-pub/organcert.html>.
"Organic Agriculture: What Are the Environmental Benefits of Organic Agriculture?" FAO: FAO Home. Web. 31 Mar. 2011. http://www.fao.org/organicag/oa-faq/oa-faq6/en/.